Side frame for railway-car trucks



Nov. 23 1926.

T. E. MURRAY, JR

SI'DE FRAME FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCKS Filed May 14, 1924 INVENTOR 7i array,I?

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Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

THOMAS E. MURRAY, J 1%., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SIDE FRAME FOR RAILWAY-CAB.- TRUCKS.

Application filed May 14, 1924. Serial No. 713,152.

My invention aims to provide a side frame which can be economically madeof pressed steel reinforced so as to secure a most eflicientdistribution of metal.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a plan;

Figs. 3, 4t and 5 are respectively sections of Fig. 1 on thecorrespondingly numbered lines.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the frame ismade of heavy sheet steel segments welded together. Each of the segmentsconstitutes one side of the frame divided along a central longitudinalline, the flanges at the top and bottom being brought together at thetop and bottom joints 1 and 2. Preferably'the welding is accomplished bythe method described in my Reissue Patent No. 15,466 of October 10,1922. The edges are brought together and pressed toward each other and acurrent is passed across the joint of extremely high ampere strength fora very brief predetermined and regulated period of time. This makes ajoint practically equal in strength to the metal itself.

The invention is applicable to side frames of various designs. Thedesign shown is one of standard proportions comprising a straight topchord 3, posts a at the sides of a central opening and a bottom chordcomprising a straight portion 5 under the cen tral opening, upwardlyinclined portions 6 and straight horizontal end portions 7 thus forminga sort of truss with a central opening 8 of roughly rectangular shapeand triangular openings 9. The metal around the edges of the openings isflanged inward for stiffness and the flanges thus formed may meet in thecentral plane and be welded together as indicated for the flanges 10,Fig. 3, surrounding the central open ng, or they may extend only partlyto the center as in the case of the flanges 11 surroundmg the triangularopenings (Figs. 4: and 5). The flanges 10 are welded together at 12 bythe same operation which welds the top and bottom joints.

The frame may be made of a single stamping bent at the top for examplewith its edges brought together and welded along the bottom. Or it maybe made in various other parts welded together. Various extensions andattachments may be provided according to requirements;

Side frames of this character are subjected to very heavy stresses andthe bottom chord is under very heavy tension, much greater than that inthe top chord. How'- ever, when the frame is stamped of sheet metal, themetal is of practically the same thickness for the top chord and for thebottom chord; and the practical limit on the dimensions of the partsresults generally in a top chord whose total crosssectional area, sayalong the lines 3-3, 44, 55 of of Fig. 1 is substantially orapproximately the same as the crosssection of the bottom chord alongthese lines. To provide sufficient strength in the bottom chord, it is,therefore, necessary to use a thicker sheet of metal for the whole framethan would be required for the top chord alone. The posts are of heaviermetal than necessary because of this requirement of sufficient thicknessto withstand the stresses in the bottom chord.

I propose to provide a side frame in which the bottom chord shall be ofextra crosssection compared with the top chord. In the case illustratedthe extra thickness of metal is secured by a reinforcing member stampedout of sheet metal and placed to best advantage to oppose the strains ofuse. The reinforcing member is of flanged shape, approximately channelshape. It comprises a web portion extending in approximately straightlines between its points of support and flanges which are reversed atdifferent points in the length of the reinforcement so as to accommodatethemselves to the sides of the main frame. The web of the reinforcement,for example, has a central portion 13 hearing up against the undersideof the flanges 14 at the bottom of the central opening, end portions 15hearing down against the top of the flanges of the end portions 7 of themain frame, and intermediate portions 16 extending in substantiallystraight lines from the center to the end so as to take a straighttensile strain without flexure.

The reinforcement is flanged at both side edges so as to hold it firmlyin place. The flanges 17 at the center are gradually bent up as at 18throughout their middle portions and are bent entirely above the web attheir end portions as at 19, Fig. 5, and

again bent over at their edges 20 to fit within the sides of the mainframe.

In assembling the parts, the reinforcement may be spot welded orotherwise welded to one of the halves of the frame before the latter arebrought together. Or the reinforcenient and the main frame, may bepunched as at 21, Fig. 2, for attachment by rivets. Various otherschemes may be adopted for securing the necessary attachment of thereinforcement to the other parts.

Though I have described with great particularity of detail certainembodiments of my invention, yet it is not to be understood therefromthat the invention is restricted to the particular embodimentsdisclosed. Various modifications thereof in detail and in thearrangement of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparture from the invention as defined in the following claims.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A side frame comprising segments of pressed sheet steel with inturnedflanges united along a vertical longitudinal plane, having top andbottom chords and a separate reinforcement enclosed by and substantiallycoextensive with the bottom chord.

2. A side frame comprising segments of pressed sheet steel withint-urned flanges united along a vertical longitudinal plane, having topand bottom chords and a separate reinforcement engaging such flanges onthe bottom chord, said reinforcement extending continuously from end toend of the bottom chord so as to strengthen it throughout its entirelength.

A side frame of pressed sheet steel with top and bottom chords and aseparate rein forcement for the bottom chord consisting of a strip ofsheet metal bearing upward against a central portion of the bottom chordand downward against the end portions thereof and substantially straightbetween said' bearing portions.

4. A side frame of pressedsheet steel with top and bottom chords and aseparate reinforcement for the bottom chord, consisting of a strip ofsheet metal bearing upward against a central portion of. the bottomchord and downward against the end portions thereof and substantiallystraight between said bearing portions and having flanges extendingdownward along the central portion and upward along the end portions.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

THOMAS E. MURRAY, JR.

